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St. Louis County, Minnesota
St. Louis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 200,226. Its county seat is Duluth. It is the largest county by total area in Minnesota, and the second largest in the United States east of the Mississippi River; in land area alone, after Aroostook County, Maine.Duluth News Tribune September 22, 2004, p. 2B. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Arostook County has a smaller overall area but a greater land area. Major industries include pulpwood production and tourism. Surface mining of high-grade iron-ore remains an important part of the economy of the Iron Range. Parts of the Bois Forte and Fond du Lac Indian reservations are in the county. History St. Louis County was founded on February 20, 1855 as Doty County and had its name changed to Newton County on March 3, 1855. It originally consisted of the area east and south of the St. Louis River, while the area east of the Vermilion River and north of the St. Louis River was part of Superior County. Superior County was renamed St. Louis County. Then on March 1, 1856, that St. Louis County became Lake County, and Newton County was renamed St. Louis County and had that eastern area added to it; it was also expanded westward by incorporating parts of Itasca County, which then also included most of Carlton County. On May 23, 1857 St. Louis County took its current shape when Carlton County was formed from parts of St. Louis and Pine Counties. Topography and vegetation St. Louis County is known for its spectacular natural beauty. It currently includes parts of Voyageurs National Park, established in 1975, the Superior National Forest, established in 1909, and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness within it on the U.S.-Canadian border, established in 1978. The BWCAW is a wilderness area designated for fishing, camping, hiking, and canoeing and is one of the most visited wilderness areas in the United States. Voyageurs National Park, near the town of International Falls, is popular with canoeists, kayakers, other boaters and fishermen. St. Louis County also has over 500 lakes, including Kabetogama Lake, Namakan Lake, Rainy Lake, Sand Point Lake, and Crane Lake. The "Hill of Three Waters" on the Laurentian Divide lies just north of Hibbing. Rain falling on this hill runs to three watersheds: Hudson Bay to the North, Lake Superior to the East, or the Mississippi river to the South and West. St. Louis County also has one of the most important fresh-water ports in the United States, located in Duluth on Lake Superior. The county forms part of the Iron Range, which has a significant taconite mining industry, particularly the city of Hibbing. Geography According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of , of which (or 90.75%) is land and (or 9.25%) is water. By area, it is the largest county in Minnesota and the largest east of the Mississippi; by land area, the second largest east of the Mississippi. Voyageurs National Park is located in its northwestern corner, on the south shore of Rainy Lake, on the Ontario, Canada border. Major highways Adjacent counties *Rainy River District, Ontario (north) *Lake County (east) *Douglas County, Wisconsin (southeast) *Carlton County (south) *Aitkin County (southwest) *Itasca County (west) *Koochiching County (northwest) National protected areas *Superior National Forest (part) *Voyageurs National Park (part) *Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (part) Demographics data.]] As of the census of 2000, there were 200,528 people, 82,619 households, and 51,389 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile (12/km²). There were 95,800 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.86% White, 0.85% Black or African American, 2.03% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 1.35% from two or more races. 0.80% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 17.0% were of German, 13.7% Norwegian, 12.1% Finnish, 9.7% Swedish, 6.0% Irish, and 5.3% Italian ancestry according to Census 2000. 27.60% of households included children under the age of 18, 49.30% were married couples living together, 9.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.80% were non-families. 31.20% of all households consisted of individuals and 13.00% of individuals 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.90. The population spread by age was 22.40% under the age of 18, 11.40% from 18 to 24, 25.90% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 16.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.80 males. The median income for a household in the county was $36,306, and the median income for a family was $47,134. Males had a median income of $37,934 versus $24,235 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,982. About 7.20% of families and 12.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.10% of those under age 18 and 8.90% of those age 65 or over. Governance Like all counties in Minnesota, Saint Louis is governed by an elected and nonpartisan board of commissioners. In Minnesota, county commissions usually have five members, but Saint Louis, Hennepin, and Ramsey counties have seven members. Each commissioner represents a district of equal population. The county commission elects a chair who presides at meetings. Commissioners as of January 2011: Politics St. Louis County is considering doing a study about dividing the county into two counties.http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/07/27/countysplit/ This county is by far the most reliable Democratic county in the state, as no Republican or independent won this county in any statewide election since 1992. The only time a Democrat obtained less than 50% of the vote was in 1998, when Jesse Ventura of the Reform ticket won statewide and gained 24% in the county. Since 1992, the only time when a Republican obtained over 34% of the vote was in the elections of 1994 (year of Republican Revolution) when the incumbent Independent-Republican governor won the statewide vote by a landslide vote of over 60%, and when the Independent-Republican senatorial candidate won election with 49% statewide, both of which is rare in Minnesota. Since 1994, the highest percentages a Republican obtained out of the county were 39.7% from Chip Cravaack's 2010 defeat of 36-year incumbent Congressman Jim Oberstar and 33.6% from George W. Bush's re-election of 2004. Presidential elections Also, Democrats have swept this county in the last 20 consecutive presidential elections. The last Republican to carry the county was Herbert Hoover in 1928.http://geoelections.free.fr/USA/elec_comtes/1928.htm Geographie Electorale In the last five Presidential elections the Republican candidate has never received more than 34% of the county's vote.The New York Times electoral map (Zoom in on Minnesota) Congress St. Louis County is in Minnesota's 8th congressional district, represented by Republican Chip Cravaack. Cravaack was elected in 2010, defeating 36-year incumbent Jim Oberstar. Cities and towns Cities Townships Unorganized See also *National Register of Historic Places listings in St. Louis County, Minnesota References External links *[http://www.co.st-louis.mn.us/ St. Louis County Government site - Link] *[http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/ Duluth News Tribune site] *[http://www.duluth.com/ Duluth.com site] *Minnesota DOT maps of St. Louis County (Southern part of Southwest portion, Northern part of Southwest portion, Southern part of Southeast portion, Northern part of Southeast portion, Southern part of Northwest portion, Northern part of Northwest portion, Northeast portion) Saint Louis County, Minnesota Category:St. Louis County, Minnesota